Johnson, Floyd close out White Sox season on high note

CLEVELAND — Dan Johnson became the 15th player in White Sox history to hit three homers in a game, Dayan Viciedo and Paul Konerko also homered to give the Sox five players with 25 or more homers in a season, and Gavin Floyd (12-11) pitched seven scoreless innings as the Sox finished the year with a 9-0 victory against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.

The Sox finished with an 85-77 record, good for second place in the American League Central after they led the division for 117 days. They were three games in front of the division-winning Tigers on Sept. 18. The Sox were 4-11 down the stretch.

“It was a good night to end on,” manager Robin Ventura said.

Ventura addressed the team afterward, thanking the players for their effort.

“Effort, and sometimes the game is cruel,” Ventura said of his talk. “It can be hard and everything else and what they brought every day and what they gave the staff is appreciated.”

Johnson, who played most of the year at AAA Charlotte, hadn’t homered for the Sox until Wednesday night. He hit his first two against lefty David Huff (3-1).

Johnson hadn’t homered since his pinch-hit for Tampa Bay on the last day of last season. His two-out, two-strike homer in the ninth inning tied the score, and the Rays went on to beat the Yankees 8-7 in 12 innings to make the playoffs.